A beautiful day

It's November the 28th-- and there is talk of snow flying in Georgia tomorrow morning. It is immaterial whether or not we see the white stuff-the mere fact that it is in the forecast for November is enough to get me all sorts of giddy! Here's hoping we see some snow and this is a sign of a good winter to come! (all you snow haters--keep it to yourself)

a Lady Gaga Thanksgiving...

Apparently that's what we had at our house today.

Along with special guest Justin Bieber!

The Verdict...

A: Girl

B: Girl

Deep Thoughts...

Did you know that the aroma from opening a bag of rice cakes strangely resembles the smell of opening a can of tuna fish? Catalogue that in "wasted brain space."-- you're welcome.

She said she wants to be Cinderella...

We're good with that!

11 Years

I guess it's not a terribly noteworthy number, but still, it can't be passed by without mention. 11 years seems like a long time to be married, and yet it doesn't feel as though it's been that long.

Yes, we've put on a little weight, our hair has thinned a little (or a lot!), we've added some kids to the mix, and certainly gotten on one another's nerves more than once-- but I can honestly say, I'm just as smitten with him today as I was 11 years ago. And the nice thing about now vs. then-- he's seen me at my worst and still loved me, he's eaten my cooking for 11 years and still says thank you, and he still shares daily detailed descriptions of his bodily functions even when I've begged him not to!

This past year has definitely brought some unexpected challenges and developments and sometimes we look at one another and wonder, "How did we get here?" If I had the choice though, I don't think I'd change a thing-- if life came as planned, what fun would it be?

Since I'll be in bed long before he gets home tonight, I'd like to take the opportunity to say,-- Happy Anniversary Colonel Mustard! I love and appreciate you more than I could ever say.

Here's looking forward to our 12th anniversary-- maybe I'll be a worthwhile date next year and we can go out a celebrate!

XOXO

Weird things I do

Have you ever seen people post those lists of their weird habits and little strange things they do? Every time I read one I think to myself, "Well I must be pretty boring because I have no weird habits or strange things I do. I couldn't even begin to make a list." Please don't ask Colonel Mustard--I'm sure he could come up with a very long list, but then again, he's OCD, so I'm not sure his list would count as "Weird things I do" or just "Things I do that annoy his obsessive compulsive brain."

But this morning as I am sitting here eating my second breakfast for the day, I realized this little habit of mine may appear somewhat strange. I like to eat yogurt with one of those little rubber Gerber baby spoons. Why you ask? I have no earthly idea. I think it stemmed from once being out of clean spoons and grabbing a baby spoon cause it was there. Funny thing--we have no need for Gerber baby spoons in this house anymore, but I have never gotten rid of them for this express purpose--eating yogurt. It makes me happy! I don't know if the yogurt tastes better off a rubber spoon, or if I just like to chew on the rubber spoon while I'm eating yogurt. Either way, I don't much like eating yogurt without my little rubber spoon--now that is weird.

So, I hope you enjoyed that little weird tidbit about me--go on and continue shaking your head in amazement that I would devote 10 minutes of my day to recording it--that's weird too!

Six

Ethan turned six today, and I guess six comes with an attitude-- cause he's had a bad one all afternoon! Now that's not very nice of me to say on his birthday, but it also wouldn't be fair of me to lie and say he's been just peachy all day- when in reality, he is in his room pouting as we speak!
BUT, attitude or not, we still love him and are so grateful to have him in our family. He is our creative child and it has been so fun to watch this last year. He can sit and color, or draw, or create with paper, glue, scissors, and crayons for hours. When trying to figure out whose artwork we are looking at we know if it's messy-- it belongs to Andrew, and if it looks like it should belong to Andrew-- it actually belongs to Ethan. (sorry Andrew- I'm being brutally honest today!) Ethan has told us he has to practice since he's going to be an illustrator when he grows up ( or as Colonel Mustard calls it-- illustrator, Aka: permanent resident of my basement) !!
We celebrated with the usual- balloons in his bedroom this morning, followed by birthday cake and presents-- and we have resigned ourselves to a little trip to Chucky Cheese on Saturday.

His "Hippo in the Tub" birthday cake-- a blue raspberry cake, per Ethan's request. Ethan would like me to clarify that even though Mom is fired for putting a pink shower cap on the Hippo, it IS definitely a BOY hippo, not a girl.

We celebrated at Dad's office, since no one gets home before 8 or 9pm tonight.

Happy Birthday to our sweet, special Ethan. We love you and hope that six is a super fun year for you!

And we begin a second time

Okay, all of you that have said, "don't worry, it's so much easier when the second kid does it- it gets easier." You are all LIARS! Liars I tell you. While it is fun and exciting to watch each kid reach different milestones, I don't think it's any easier watching number 2, 3, 4, or however many you have, grow up.

Five days shy of his six birthday, Ethan lost (well, Dad pulled out) his first tooth this morning. Another toothless grin running around this house-- and another ill placed permanent tooth that screams "I need braces!"

And though I am not a fan of toothless grins, just like the first, he's-- Oh so cute to his Mommy.

Let's hope the tooth fairy remembers her job tonight!

Halloween

I love Halloween--probably not so much the actual holiday itself, but the fact that it is the beginning of the holiday season--which I really love!

 The kids love it too-- and we have a great neighborhood to trick-or treat in that makes it even more fun.

Here are the kids all dressed up  as pirates. Their costumes weren't that great this year-- I just didn't feel up to making anything or getting all crazy, so we settled a little.

We went trick or treating for 2 1/2 hours last night and I think we are all very tired today, but it was fun even if it did get very exhausting at the end.

Ava at her class party.  (Notice her "special" lunch table-- poor kid-- but it doesn't stop her from enjoying her lunch!)

 Ethan at his class party.

 I have no picture of Andrew at his class party-- cause 3rd grade sucks and they didn't have a party! I thought about getting a picture of him picking his nose here, but I don't think he would like me much if I did that!

Monster Cupcakes-- for Ethan's class party- I was so proud to be able to make cupcakes--the first real thing I've baked in months.

And of course Ava had to have some too!

Yeah for Halloween-- and I'm as giddy as I can be right now that's it's November 1st-- many reasons to be excited for November!